Last Thursday was the final day of the Unicameral Legislature’s 2023 Legislative Session. The final days of the session were hardly void of drama, overrides, and surprises. For example, State Senators voted to override the Governor’s veto to fund the State Auditor’s staff, voted to reconsider the appointment of the Nebraska Public Employees Retirement Systems director, and voted not to confirm a commissioner to the State Racing and Gaming Commission. In addition, three important bills were passed during the final two days of the session, so today I would like to tell you about these three bills.
The first bill was a repeal of the motorcycle helmet law. The repeal of the helmet law was amended into LB 138 and passed on May 31, the day before the Legislative Session ended sine die on June 1. Although this bill is considered controversial, I have received a lot positive comments about passing this piece of legislation. Sen. Mike McDonell of Omaha summed it up best when he advocated for this bill on the floor of the Legislature. Sen. McDonnell said: “Let those who ride, decide.”
The next l bill was LB 50, a bill which was passed on the last day of the Session. LB 50 loosens sentences for convicted felons held in Nebraska’s prison system. So long as an inmate’s rap sheet does not include convictions for any kind for sexual assault, bodily injury, or death, his or her sentence may be reduced by the Good Time law minus an additional twenty percent. The bill was considered controversial not only because it reduces the sentences of convicted felons, but because the bill advanced out of the Judiciary Committee by a vote of 4-2 and that vote was taken after Sen. Susan Geist of Lincoln, a member of the Judiciary Committee, had resigned in order to run for mayor, and her replacement had not yet been named.
